J.C. Penny To Close Call Center, Layoff 300 Workers

Former Apple, Inc. executive Ron Johnson continues to make his mark at J.C. Penny. The company is going through large changes, and the customer service call centers are not escaping the close scrutiny:

J.C. Penney Co. announced Thursday that it will close its Customer Call Center in Pittsburgh, and eliminate 300 associates.

The company laid off 600 associates, or 13 percent of the staff at its headquarters in Plano, Texas, as the department store chain looks to streamline its operations amid a major reinvention of the business.

The company had hinted that cuts would come when it told investors in January that it planned to reduce layers of management at its headquarters. Before the layoffs, the company had 4,400 employees at its headquarters.

The announcement is part of the Company’s plan, announced on Jan. 26, to reduce annual expenses by $900 million by the end of 2013.

The moves come as its new CEO, former Apple Inc. executive Ron Johnson, is transforming every aspect of its business, from pricing to the brands it carries.